


This Time (I'm Ready to Run)

by baeconandeggs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 20:57:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3992605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Baekhyun just wants to sleep, but his roommates are assholes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Time (I'm Ready to Run)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this has probably been the most challenging thing I have ever done. I want to thank the mods for their endless understanding in everything I have been through to get to this point. I had a few things happen in my personal life that almost made me quit this altogether, but I made a promise to myself that I would get this, and here I am. To my recipient, I altered one of your prompts slightly and loosely based this off of my own experience on a trip I took. I really hope you like this, even just a little. To my beta, I literally owe you my life and just know I love you so much. You have helped me so much with this and gotten me through the worst times and I cannot tell you enough how much that means to me. To K, thank you for being so encouraging and understanding and helping me as well.

_A dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep_.

 _Sleep—_ That’s all Baekhyun wants right now more than anything he can possibly fathom; just to curl up in his expensive cotton sheets and tell the rest of the world to fuck off for the entire day. (It’s only Monday).

This last semester’s been nothing short of draining and it has really started to take its toll on him physically, leaving him beyond exhausted and a bit of a grouch according to his two flatmates. _Who asked them anyway?_

Graduation is so close he can almost taste it, and he has worked his ass off to get this far. But that hasn’t come without a price of course. And in Baekhyun’s case, he goes without sleep more often than not in order to study himself to the grave—pulling all-nighters weekly to finish his assignments on time, reading between classes instead of catching a quick nap or grabbing lunch with his friends, hell, even his Sundays are pretty much sold to his textbooks. But he tells himself it’s all worth it, because at the end of the year he’ll have a degree from Seoul National University and hopefully be on his way to a career. Granted being an accountant doesn’t sound like the most thrilling of jobs, but it’ll pay the bills and get his parents off his back for finally being “self-sufficient.”

 _And that’s enough for me_ , he thinks.

The rumble of the air conditioner kicks on, fighting the heat wave that never seems to leave no matter how early in the morning it is. Summers in Seoul are just so damn _hot_.

Baekhyun shifts, turning the other cheek to his pillow in a measly attempt to escape the beam of light threatening to blind him. He really should invest in blackout curtains. Curling thin fingers in his sheet he pulls the fabric up like a makeshift veil, honey tufts of hair the only evidence of the petite boy in bed. 

The room finally begins to cool and he feels himself drift back into a comfortable slumber.

 _Sleep—_ That’s exactly what Baekhyun is going to do for the entire day. _Days_ , even. And nothing or no one is going to stop h—

“Ow, what the fuck?!” he groans, the question muffled beneath his covers and a pain now stinging his nose.

“Wake up Sleeping Beauty, it’s almost 7 o’clock already.”

 _This must be the part where I tell the world to fuck off._ “I’m not moving. You can’t make me,” he grumbles from beneath his nest.

“Byun Baekhyun if you don’t get your scrawny ass out of this bed _right now_ and get your shit together before we miss our flight, I’m gonna do more than just pelt a pillow at your face. I’ll give you a hint, it involves me killing you.”

“Why are you so violent?”

“ _Baekhyun_.”

“Baekhyun- _hyung_ , you brat. You better watch the way you speak to me. And I’m up okay, now get out.”

“Good. Me and Jongdae-hyung are gonna start loading the van. If we come back in and you’re not up then we’re leaving your ass here. You can have fun sweating in bed while we’re in paradise.”

Baekhyun lets out a huff, throwing aside the newly added cushion and unburying himself.

He, Tao and Jongdae have been living together for about a year and a half now. Baekhyun and Jongdae actually met through the university’s piano club, SNUPIA (Seoul National University Piano), because despite choosing a boring career path, Baekhyun always had a passion for music. He had to have some way to enjoy his love for the art, so on a whim his freshman year he decided to join the club and to this day he is thankful that he did. Tao came along the following year. A Chinese foreign exchange student from Qingdao who was lost to everything Korean, but thanks to Jongdae’s studies in Mandarin, he took the younger under his wing and they’ve been close ever since. When he introduced the boy to Baekhyun over lunch one afternoon, Tao called him his _beef-hyung_ , confusing the word “Taurus” since they were both born in May. Baekhyun found it endearing, and the taller boy kinda just clung to him from then on out.

Now he wishes he could figure out a way to hide from the two so he can just _sleep_. 

The trio had decided they all needed a vacation after the hell of last semester, so only a few days into summer they booked a trip to Jeju. A refreshing week of sandy beaches and the ocean breeze sounded like heaven. Sure as hell beat sweltering in the city.

_Alright, so maybe sleep can wait._

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

After showering and last minute scrambling to pack everything he could possibly fit into _three_ suitcases, Baekhyun deems himself ready.

He strolls into the living room in a tank and tattered jeans, luggage trailing behind and slightly out of breath. That was probably the closest to a workout he’d done in ages.

“Wow I didn’t realize you were moving there Baek, who’s gonna take over your room and your portion of the rent now?” Jongdae quips from his resting spot on the arm of the couch.

Baekhyun resists the urge to flip the shorter man the middle finger. It’s still too early to function and he doesn’t really have a free hand at the moment. “Shut it, Dae. You know how indecisive I am about my wardrobe. Now help me get this shit in the car.”

The shorter boy snickers, his features making him look even more cheeky if possible. Jongdae really is very handsome. Brunet hair styled back, jawline and cheeks so prominent as if he had spent the morning contouring them in the mirror. And even though he and Baekhyun share similar stature, Jongdae has always been more built. His strong arms and hard chest in place of the elder’s soft curves.

Truth be told, Baekhyun has always been a bit conscious of his feminine figure. He just chooses to compensate with a loud mouth and fearless sense of wonder.

“Jesus what do you have in this thing, a dead body? Pretty sure airport security won’t allow that on the plane, Baek.” He swears the damn thing weighs more than he can bench.

“It’s gonna be _your_ dead body in a second, now let’s go since you two clowns decided to attack me in my sleep and rush me along.”

“Hey I wasn’t the one who threw the pillow, okay. Blame the tall one.”

“Tao would have never had the balls without someone encouraging him and I wonder who gave him the terrific idea, _asshole_. That could have broke my nose you know.” Baekhyun gripes, reaching a hand across and flicking the younger square in the forehead.

“Yah!” Jongdae winces, stopping momentarily to rub at the now throbbing skin. “So unnecessary…” The elder grins in triumph.

They take one last glance around the apartment, double-checking that all the lights are off and nothing is left behind before locking up and making their way to the elevator.

Jongdae is still pouting.

Once the duo manage to wrestle Baekhyun’s suitcases off the lift and through the glass entry doors, they spot the tall impatient blond standing beside the cab, arms crossed and looking pleased as ever for having to wait. _Huang Zitao waits for no one._

“At this rate we’ll be swimming to Jeju,” he clicks his tongue, equipped with a dramatic eye roll before yanking the handle of a bag from the caramel-haired boy and tossing it in the trunk.

 _Ocean waves. Sandy beaches. Relaxation._ Baekhyun has to remind himself why he agreed to a trip with these two again.

Having tightly squeezed themselves and all their luggage in the van like a pack of sardines, the three students set off for Gimpo Airport in a flurry. Missing their flight doesn’t exactly sound like a great way to start the vacation. A vacation they all desperately need.

Baekhyun wants a summer he’ll never forget, and he prays this is just the beginning.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

When the trio reach the airport, the driver is more than ready to toss them out after having listened to their constant bickering the entire length of the short trip.

It only continues as the students struggle pulling their bags out of the vehicle.

“This is why you should have consolidated like me. Maybe then you wouldn’t be having this problem.”

“Sorry Jongdae but some of us don’t like wearing the same thing four days in a row.”

“Yeah hyung, I like to look good okay.”

“You can try all you want but it doesn’t get better than _this_.” The short brunet sweeps a hand down his side in mock display. _Who were these peasants to judge his attire anyway?_

Baekhyun snorts, balancing his duffle bag on top of one suitcase while grabbing the handle of the second and silently praying he can at least make it to the bag-check without a hitch. He’s got this.

The youngest hands the cabbie a hefty wad of bills and a quick bow in gratitude before the crotchety old man is off, van tires screeching in his wake.

_Guess someone didn’t get their coffee this morning._

Finally ready, they head inside the building looking like a group of high-profile celebs as they stroll down the aisle way, shades and all. Idols and their airport fashion could kiss their ass alright, these boys were hot.

Now if only they can figure out which way to go.

They spend a considerable amount of time attempting to get through the security check; Tao just _had_ to wear every single metal bracelet and ring he owned, along with a studded belt and laceup boots when God and everyone knows you’re supposed wear slip-ons at the airport.

Baekhyun and Jongdae make sure to curse him as they wait.

After two turnarounds and a quick stop to take a piss, the three boys finally locate the correct terminal and begin to board the small aircraft.

Baekhyun opts for the window seat. For once in his life he is thankful of his short legs that are not quite as cramped as Tao’s seem to be, given the tight squeeze of the tiny plane.

With a small chuckle, he leans his head against the thick glass and allows his eyelids to flutter closed. Maybe he can catch a quick snooze for the hour long flight. It’s still too early to be awake after all.

 _Sleep_.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

The short trip was a bit more rickety than Baekhyun anticipated, but he still managed to nap a little.

Thankfully, the pilot is quick to thank the passengers for the flight and wishes them well on their visit to the island before the flight attendant opens the hatch.

Baekhyun peels himself off the seat and gives Tao a quick shove to get out of the way. He’s beginning to feel claustrophobic and he just really needs to get off this damned plane. The blond shoots a look of indignance but alas he allows the shorter boy to step around him.

Jongdae mutters something about _people needing to leave their attitudes at home_ , but it doesn’t go unnoticed. He receives a nice kick to the shin as the eldest makes his way out.

“Yah! That’s twice today, Byun!” he whines, but Baekhyun is already stepping off the aircraft and beginning to hunt down his suitcases.

It doesn’t take long for the trio to locate their bags and soon they’re catching a cab and heading to their resort destination. The driver at least seems friendly and welcoming this time unlike the grouchy man from earlier this morning.

Baekhyun gazes out the window and can’t help but smile to himself at how beautiful everything looks, how _different_ everything looks from the scenery back in Seoul. Where the dingy grays of industrial buildings and smog usually fill the air, now flourishes a palette of bright colors heavily saturating every small crevice of the island. It’s honestly breathtaking, and he instantly wonders why he doesn’t leave the city more often.

In no time they arrive at the resort, and if Baekhyun was in awe at the view on the ride there, he is now utterly speechless (and they aren’t even inside yet).

The LOTTE Hotel is tucked behind so much gorgeous greenery, be it the plush grass surrounding the entire expanse of the building, the wide variety of beautiful shrubbery or the plethora of palm trees placed every couple of feet. He doesn’t know where to focus, it’s all so captivating.

The building itself stands immensely tall with its seemingly infinite number of floors, forming a giant “L” shape. Its alabaster walls, wide columns and arched windows give an art-deco sort of feel. Baekhyun thinks it looks like a palace.

“Well now I know why this cost an arm and leg, but damn this place is rad,” Jongdae exhales as they make their way to the entrance. Immediately someone greets them to take and load their luggage on a trolley, and the boys give a polite _thank you_ before stepping up to the front desk to check in.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

Twelve floors up and a short pace down the hall finally brings the boys to their suite. Neither of them really know what to expect, but if the outer appearance was any indication of what’s inside then they have some high expectations. The nightly cost was no joke so they better be getting more than a bang for their (parents’) buck.

Tao steps forward with the room key and once the light turns green he pushes through the heavy door, Baekhyun and Jongdae tailing close behind.

“Holy shit,” they gasp in unison once all three pile inside.

The door opens right to the left of the kitchen area which is certainly modernized with dark marble on the floor and countertops, so polished Baekhyun can clearly see the look of surprise in his reflection. Aspen cabinetry and stainless steel appliances add to the sleek presentation, and there’s a decent sized bar extending from one wall that doubles as the eating table surrounded by six plush white bar seats. On that same cinnamon colored wall hangs a flatscreen television.

“Oh _thank god_ , I can watch my morning dramas while I eat breakfast.” Jongdae snorts before shooting the eldest a look of disbelief.

“Baek please. I’ll be surprised if you’re up before noon and even that will probably require us pulling your ass out of bed, this morning being the perfect example.”

“Excuse you,” Baekhyun places his dainty hands on his waist, cocking one hip to the side showing mild offense. “Why would I waste all morning in bed when I can do the same thing on the beach? Besides, you won’t be laying a finger on my ass thank you very much.”

“Like I’d even want to…”

Leaving the bickering couple to grumble at each other, the tall blond steps further into the suite to continue gaping at the luxurious surroundings. He sidesteps the two luggage carts positioned midway between the kitchen and living area where the bellhop had left their belongings, continues past the lavish scarlet leather couch that separates the two rooms while wrapping around a low glass table, and plops himself down in one of the two black recliners in the corner.

“I’m just gonna stay here you guys, don’t mind me.”

Baekhyun on the other hand has other intentions, like finding his bed.

The suite itself only has two bedrooms and since Baekhyun is the oldest, it was agreed (after much strife and a final promise to do all the laundry once they got back) that he got the single room to himself.

Passing through the kitchen he hangs a left, hoping it’ll lead to his much awaited mattress.

He isn’t disappointed.

Inside the room sits a large King-sized bed draped in white cotton against a floor-to-ceiling mahogany headboard. It takes everything in him not to make a running leap. Beside it lays an ivory chaise lounge which Baekhyun finds just a bit excessive for a hotel room but shrugs it off, walking past it and toward the door to the balcony.

Carefully sliding the glass open, he steps out and let’s the warm summer air slap him right across the cheeks before openly gaping at the surrounding view.

_Jesus._

The greenery is still as shocking as it was before, but now he can see past the treeline and out to the ocean water that stretches as far as the naked eye can see. The cerulean water glimmers, and the thought of wading through its waves sounds more than a little enticing with the current heat that refuses to let up. The sun hasn’t even peaked yet and it’s just _so hot_.

Looking directly down below, Baekhyun spots the large pool and wishes he could dive right in from where he is standing. He vows to be in it before the day is over.

After a few more moments of gazing, he steps back in making sure to slide the door closed to keep out the hot summer air and pads over to the bath area situated to the left of the bed.

_This has to be a dream._

Not only does he get his own bathroom, but it’s equipped with a large Whirlpool jacuzzi tub that he swears could fit three people, maybe four, as well as a granite stand-up shower in the corner that has one of those rainfall showerheads he’s always seen on TV but never imagined he’d get to try out in real life. Even the countertop was granite.

“Maybe I’ll just hang out in my bathroom the whole time, damn.” Though after saying it aloud, it doesn’t sound quite as appealing.

Baekhyun strolls back to the center of the suite, hoping that the other two are enjoying their room as well, but ultimately wanting to get out of the hotel and venture around the grounds.

“Hey can we finish scoping out the rooms later and head to the beach?” he shouts, purposely sounding as whiny as possible knowing the method usually prevails. “I just wanna be wet right now.”

Shortly after comes the loud cackling and he realizes his poor word choice as his two _immature_ roommates stumble back into the living area clearly amused, Baekhyun taking no part in their mirth.

Tao sends a look in his direction before raising a suggestive eyebrow. “Hyung wants to be wet, how about we find him a suitor while we’re here...”

“Yeah right, we all know how Baek is when it comes to dating. I bet he could find fault in every single person on this island just to be difficult.”

_That’s not true._

“True, but look at him...he needs to get laid. They don’t even have to qualify as dating material.”

 _Excuse me?_ Baekhyun refuses to be insulted right to his face, especially not by these two.

“Are you assholes done talking about my love life as if I’m not standing right here…” He glares at the brunet who is now leaning against the back of the couch with his arms folded across his chest, but Jongdae doesn’t seem phased by it. The shorter quirks his lip up like he wants to say something else, but settles on shaking his head at him instead.

It’s not like they were _totally_ wrong. Baekhyun admits he can be a little difficult when it comes to dating, but not because he purposely looks for reasons not to date the guys, he just has a hard time staying interested. As awful as it may sound, he finds himself getting bored of relationships too easily which to some might mean he goes through guys quickly but to Baekhyun, it has just turned him off of the idea of dating altogether. He doesn’t really have time anyways.

It’s been two years since he’s had sex and even longer since he actually had feelings for someone, and strangely enough Baekhyun has no problem with that. Granted if the right guy comes along and somehow sweeps him off his feet he won’t be opposed to it, but he doesn’t see it happening any time soon. Right now he just wants to finish school and find a steady job to support himself without the help of his parents. _Then_ , he can worry about finding someone to share that with.

Soon after Baekhyun has quieted the younger two about his personal life, the trio collectively decide to check out the beach.

Before heading down, they help each other wrestle their bags into their respective rooms (apparently Jongdae and Tao’s room is a mirror of Baekhyun’s except larger and instead of the chaise there is a wide leather couch that has a pullout bed underneath; _guess who got stuck with the couch_ ) and then change into proper swim attire.

About fifteen minutes later, Baekhyun and Jongdae meet back at the bar in the kitchen ready to go. The brunet is clad in nothing but red trunks, a pair of Oakleys, and an overly smug look on his face.

“Dae wipe the grin off your face, you look ugly.”

He has a nice body, but Baekhyun would be the last person to ever boost his already-disgustingly-big ego. “Jealousy is hard to admit, Baekhyun-ah.”

 _Prime example_.

“And what’s with the gold booty shorts? I thought we’re going to the beach not standing on some street corner…”

So maybe Baekhyun’s swim trunks barely reach mid-thigh and maybe they are a bit flashy, but more importantly they show off the one part of his body that he actually has confidence in, his greatest asset: his _ass_. 

“Shut up these are perfect. At least I’m not walking around half-naked...” he pinches the fabric of his white tank with the words “Eye Candy” printed across the chest.

“Hey if you got it, flaunt it. Besides you’re gonna have to take that off eventually, Baek. The world wants to see those chocolate abs of yours.” Jongdae snickers to himself.

“More like _Nutella_.”

The duo turn as the tall blond finally emerges from his room, neither surprised to see the leopard print trunks around his toned waist. Baekhyun resists the urge to swat him with his beach tote for the _extremely_ rude comment, fearing his precious headphones would break or maybe the pages of his favorite book would wrinkle.

Instead he settles for “fuck both of you,” as Baekhyun makes his way out the door first. Again there is muffled cackling as the younger two trail behind.

 _Ocean waves. Sandy beaches. Relaxation._ He has to keep reminding himself.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

Luckily the walk to the beach is a rather short one, their hotel having a small wooden path that leads right from the pool area into the sand of the shoreline.

Baekhyun bends down to remove a sandal, wanting to feel the grains between his toes but instantly regrets it when the hot sand starts to scorch the bottom of his foot. He lets out a wail and before Jongdae even has time to laugh, Baekhyun whacks him with the shoe right across the abdomen.

“Yah! The hell was that for?!” he gripes as he rubs the now reddening skin, but the elder continues walking, ignoring him in search of the perfect location to set up camp.

They venture a little ways along the coast, bypassing the crowds of what looked like other university students as well as a few families and even some foreign travelers, and settling for a spot that had a couple open umbrellas already pitched in the sand. After casting their bags aside and Baekhyun finally ridding himself of his shirt, the three wade out to the water just for a quick cool down before coming back to lay out in the sand.

The ocean is refreshing and the perfect temperature, saltwater clinging to their skin and leaving its pungent taste on their tongues as they sink all the way down below. Then they all emerge from the waves, running their fingers through their now-soaking hair and wiping down their faces as they approach the shore again.

Tao starts laying out the towels, careful to keep from dripping all over them. Baekhyun is too focused with lathering on the sunscreen (because as much as he loves soaking up the warm rays, he prides himself in keeping his skin healthy and fair), meanwhile Jongdae is on a mission to scan the area for prospective women.

_Figures. The only concern of the straight one of the bunch is creeping on girls in bikinis._

“You know I’ll never understand how you guys can pass up bodies like that,” he gapes, as two petite girls with long dark locks and curvy s-lines trimmed in in very little fabric traipse on by. “Wow.” He has to stop himself from staring (and probably drooling).

Not even the slightest bit affected by the females _or_ their lack of clothing, Tao begins to lay down atop his large cotton towel. “Why waste my time with puny chicks when bodies like _that_ exist in the world,” he tilts his chin up to signal toward two guys nearby passing a beach volleyball back-and-forth with their feet.

Beside him, Baekhyun can’t help but take a peek as he leans his head over, following the younger’s line of vision. It’s too far to make out any faces but he has to agree that both of them have nice builds, and he definitely appreciates the free show as they run around getting sweaty in the summer heat. A small smile stretches across his lips before he closes his eyes again, bathing in the sun and letting his mind wander.

Jongdae makes a face of distaste before deciding to mosey back out to the water, claiming it’s too hot to layout and how he wants to explore a bit (but they all know that’s just code for “I wanna scope out girls”).

Tao and Baekhyun decide to nap, letting the short brunet off to do his thing and hoping they don’t get a call later to come get their friend from harassing people. _It wouldn’t be the first time._

The eldest puts his headphones in, lulling himself into a snooze with some Bumkey and drifting off to images of lean muscles.

 _Sleep_.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

He hears him coming before he feels it.

“Sorry! Omo, I’m really sorry!”

_Are they talking to me? Why are they apologizing?_

Then comes the ache.

Baekhyun’s eyes flicker open, the darkness dissipating as he makes a grab at the side of his waist, a sharp stinging marring his skin and traveling bone deep.

“Are you okay?”

He glances up and sees a rather tall, slim male standing upright and peering at him worriedly. His dark brows don’t match his chestnut colored hair and they’re furrowed a bit, but he looks pretty young despite his towering height.

“Ahh,” Baekhyun hisses, rubbing along the throbbing area. “I think so...”

“Sorry, my friend and I were goofing around with the ball and apparently he’s a really bad goalie. We didn’t mean for it to hit you.” He sounds even younger when he speaks. “My name’s Sehun.”

Baekhyun removes a hand that was gripping his side and reaches it out to the one being offered in a gentle handshake, wincing a little but he thinks he’ll survive it. “Baekhyun.”

“I’m Tao.” _Of course_ , and Baekhyun can’t contain the eyeroll at how overeager the blond sounds as he reaches across the elder’s body, paying no heed to his injury, to also shake hands with the guy before handing over the offending ball.

“Thanks,” he says, with the tiniest smirk playing at the corner of his lips, their fingers slightly grazing and suddenly Baekhyun feels like a third wheel. “Hey if you guys wanna join us feel free. My friend’s a little shy but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, though you might have to teach him a lesson or two about goalkeeping.” He thumbs over his shoulder in the direction of said male who currently has his back turned to hide his embarrassment, but Baekhyun suddenly notices these are the two guys they were checking out earlier and a faint blush dusts across his cheeks.

“Umm...I’m good for right now, but thanks for the offer.”

“Hey no problem, and once again I’m really sorry. I hope all’s good and maybe we’ll catch you around?” Though the question is supposed to be directed at him, Baekhyun still feels left out of the conversation as he catches the not-so-subtle wink toward his roommate.

 _Where the hell is Jongdae when I need him?_ A question that he rarely finds himself asking.

After Sehun leaves, Baekhyun mutters a “keep it in your pants,” before shutting his eyes and trying to doze back off, a small pout on his lips as he rubs again at his hip bone that is surely bruised from the impact of the ball.

“What, he’s hot.” Shortly realizing the smaller has no plans on continuing the discussion, he giggles to himself before giving a quick pat to Baekhyun’s exposed thigh. “You need to loosen up, hyung.”

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

An hour or so later, Jongdae makes his way back to the two sunbathers, _alone luckily_ , and the trio decide to gather their things for the day and head back to the resort. It’s way too hot to tolerate any longer and they really need to make a run to the grocery store nearby to stock up their refrigerator and cabinets for the week. A pitstop at the liquor store is also high on the to-do list, as well as grabbing a bite to eat because _no one_ wants to deal with a hungry Byun Baekhyun.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

They taxi back to the hotel with just about as many grocery bags as they have luggage, and fight to get them all on a trolley, insisting to the staff that they have it all under control.

(Baekhyun doesn’t miss the way the older woman at the front desk is eyeing his mildly obscene swim trunks and he yanks his tank top down in a measly attempt to cover his backside, hoping she can’t read the English words across the front).

After a bit of a struggle with keeping the glass bottles from breaking and ending up with only one cracked egg in the carton, the three students declare victory as they reach their twelfth floor suite.

Putting everything away was another feat.

Alas, forty-five minutes and a third a bottle of Bacardi Silver now gone, the boys are gathered around their bar table trying to conjure up plans for the remainder of the evening. Baekhyun is sipping on his rum and coke like it’s potent, but figures he may as well get used to it because he doesn’t foresee having any sober nights while he’s here. Alcohol always hits him pretty strong though, not taking much to get him feeling buzzed.

“Why don’t we head down to the pool? I heard they start DJing at night and we’re allowed to bring our drinks as long as they’re not in glass,” Jongdae asks as he digs through the already half-eaten bag of Honey Butter chips.

Tao nods in agreement, and then they’re both shooting Baekhyun a questioning look as if he really has a say in the matter when it’s two against one. “Is that okay with you, hyung?”

Without giving an actual reply, the amber-haired boy stands up and begins rummaging through the cabinets in search for those plastic tumblers he swears he saw earlier. Moments later he’s calling out an “ _ah ha_!” before turning around and dumping the remnants of his drink into one of them. “Let’s go.” His roommates chuckle at his sudden ambition as they _too_ grab a cup to transport their alcohol in, Jongdae in charge of filling everyone’s drink back to the brim. _Two-thirds of the bottle went quick._

They shed their shirts and flipflops, grabbing the waterproof lanyards for their room keys and double check their resort wristbands are still in tact before snagging the cups off the table and are out the door again.

As they step off the back set of elevators, Baekhyun is quick to notice how the floor is soaked from pool-goers tromping back and forth and he makes a mental note to watch his step in fear of slipping and spilling his drink. _Or busting his ass_.

Outside, the music is already booming and the setting is absolutely stunning. The entire walkway to the large pool area is warmly lit up as well as the surrounding palm trees and greenery, the place looking like a romantic getaway in paradise. The pool itself is even the perfect shade of aqua blue. The boys hurry their way into the water, making a beeline for the empty ledge on the far side. There are quite a few people crowded around tonight, the speaker system thumping but not too overbearing for conversation.

It doesn’t take long for Jongdae to be off again, setting his sights on what looks to be a group of girl friends laughing amongst each other in the corner. Baekhyun continues to shake his head as he asks aloud why they even brought the shorter in the first place, before taking a gulp of his mixed drink and leaning back against the edge. He closes his eyes trying to relish in the peacefulness.

Not for long though.

“See I knew I’d see you guys around!” And a second later Baekhyun looks up to the see the lean guy from earlier approaching the ledge he and Tao are seated at. _At least this time he doesn’t have a ball_ , he thinks to himself as his free hand unconsciously moves to his lightly bruised hip.

Tao of course instantly straightens, stupid grin lighting up his face like a teen girl whose date just arrived to pick her up and eventually Sehun makes his way over, drink in hand and settles for standing in front of the two. But Baekhyun isn’t looking at Sehun at this point, no. Instead he finds himself intrigued by the man who is joining them as he stands beside the other, towering in height even more so.

“Hey, this is my friend Chanyeol,” Sehun says as he rests a hand on the taller guy’s firm shoulder. “ _—_ the one you should blame for what happened earlier. I apologize for his lack of coordination.”

 _Chanyeol_ is not only taller than Sehun, but his body is more filled out in ways that can’t go without proper appreciation. Even in the dim lighting Baekhyun can still make out the toned muscles of his arms that slightly flex as he holds onto his drink, the hard lines of his chest that lead up an elongated neck before reaching his strong yet still soft, jawline. His black locks are smoothed back which allows his perfect forehead to be visible and his ears to stick out at the sides _and why am I staring?_ Baekhyun finds himself asking after a minute. Apparently he isn’t the only one to notice as he blinks from his sudden reverie and finds three sets of eyes on him, clearly waiting for something.

“Huh?” he asks. Tao elbows him below the water.

“I said, how’s the waist doing by the way?”

“Oh. It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” Baekhyun smiles at him in reassurance, but his eyes are still lingering on the model-like physique of his friend. Chanyeol catches his gaze and quickly looks down into his cup, a tiny smirk on his lips before taking a swig.

They find out that both parties are staying in the same resort, though Sehun and Chanyeol definitely couldn’t afford a suite seeing as they paid out of their own pockets. Instead they have a single room on the sixth floor, but claim they don’t spend much time in it anyway. Tao invites them to join the trio for drinks at their bar sometime, and Baekhyun gives a warning about Jongdae whom they’ve yet to meet. _Be thankful,_ he tells them. Sehun also realizes he is the youngest, now addressing the other two as such, and Chanyeol finds that he and Baekhyun are only months apart so when he asks the smaller if that means they can be _chingus_ , Baekhyun flushes, not expecting the sudden question. Chanyeol is clearly amused by this, wide grin not letting up as he waits for a response. _God, even his teeth are perfect..._

Sensing the present tension in the air (and because Baekhyun swears he’s out to ruin his life), Tao asks Sehun to join him in the hot tub and just like that they’re off, forcing the two to awkwardly shift closer together to close the gap. This new proximity to Chanyeol’s body is seriously unhealthy and Baekhyun feels his pulse increase tenfold before deciding that he could really use another _—_

“Wanna grab a drink with me?”

Baekhyun feels heat reach his cheeks for the second time but he finds himself nodding in agreement as he sees a bit of hesitation in the man’s brown eyes. _He’s nervous too_.

“Alright good. I’m empty and from the looks of it you’re about there too.” And then he chuckles and it sounds so warm and Baekhyun just wants to know why he’s feeling so affected all of a sudden by this total stranger.

Chanyeol begins leading the way toward the steps leaving Baekhyun to follow behind and marvel at the taut muscles pulling across the taller man’s back. Once they both step out of the water, the height difference between them is even more obvious and Baekhyun feels dwarfed by the guy. He looks up, about to crack a light joke about how giant Chanyeol and his long legs are, but stops when he notices the focus of the man’s attention.

“Nice shorts,” he rasps in that deep baritone and it takes everything in Baekhyun not to turn around and leap back into the water. He feels self conscious all over again as Chanyeol scans his way back up to his eyes before gesturing, “After you.”

_Chanyeol is curious about how those shorts look from behind, but he keeps that part to himself._

As they make their way up to the sixth floor, Baekhyun is finding the silence a little discomforting as he tries to keep his eyes off the man’s defined torso so instead he blurts out the next thing that comes to mind. “You’re not gonna kidnap me are you?”

“Not unless you want me to.”

“I mean, you can try. Just know I have a second degree black belt in hapkido and I’m pretty confident in my Brazilian kick.” He smirks. “Don’t let my height fool you.”

Chanyeol breaks out in a loud guffaw at this _—_ eyes crinkling as he clutches his stomach _—_ and as offended as Baekhyun thinks he should feel for being laughed at, he instead finds himself oddly captivated by the man. “Sorry I don’t mean to laugh. I just can’t help it when you’re threatening me in that get-up.”

“Hey what’s wrong with these?” the shorter looks down at the small metallic cloth in question, a pout forming on his pink lips.

“Nothing.”

And then that giant has the audacity to wink at him.

 _Who gave you the right?_ Baekhyun demands and he knows he’s blushing now which irks him even more because he’s really not that kind of guy. There’s just something about the dark haired man that keeps bringing out this flustered-little-girl in him and he’s not okay with that. Not at all.

They reach the desired floor and the elder couldn’t be happier to get off the lift (he swears it was getting too stuffy in there). Chanyeol ushers him down the hall until they reach room 614 and he holds the door open as they both step inside. For just a single, the room is still nicer than any place Baekhyun has slept in before. Right inside the door is the kitchenette area; albeit there’s no stainless steel or flatscreen above a marble-topped bar, it serves its purpose.

Chanyeol chucks the roomkey on the counter along with his cup, before turning to the fridge to pull out a half-empty container of cranberry juice and a bottle of Pinnacle. Baekhyun decides he should probably set his cup down too.

“Hope you like vodka,” the taller grins as he carefully pours the liquid into the plastic tumblers. Baekhyun prefers rum, but he definitely won’t turn down free alcohol.

While Chanyeol busies himself with mixing their fruity drinks, the smaller decides to check out the rest of the room. He walks toward the two beds which look a bit smaller than the one in his room, _Queens_ he guesses, and the headboards aren’t quite as extravagant but the mattresses are still covered in white cotton underneath a disarray of clothes. _Messy boys_. Baekhyun smiles, shaking his head. As he continues snooping around, something in the corner of the room catches his eye so he makes his way over to where it rests atop the seat of the recliner. “Do you play?” he asks, eyeing the instrument.

“Huh?” Chanyeol turns around with the drinks in hand and Baekhyun almost forgets his question as he stares at the man’s v-line peeking from beneath the hem of his gray shorts. He looks away, instead reaching for the neck of the guitar.

“I asked if you play, is this yours?” Chanyeol’s eyes widen just the slightest.

“Hey, hey be careful with her—that’s my baby.”

Baekhyun raises a brow. “Her? Don’t tell me you named it…”

“Shh, Matilda don’t listen to him,” he faux whispers while approaching the short boy and said instrument. He gently sets the drinks down on the nightstand, mindful that they don’t spill onto the expensive wood, before extending his hand out to Baekhyun (who is still chuckling at the ridiculous name).

The elder relinquishes the guitar, _Matilda_ , to the giant and watches as he sits himself on the edge of the bed before closing his eyes and strumming some chords. Large hands move across the strings with ease and it’s really attractive, and then he starts singing and his voice is so deep and velvety and Baekhyun tries not to swoon because once again, he’s really not that kind of guy. At least that’s what he continues to tell himself. The tune sounds vaguely familiar, but it isn’t until Chanyeol hits the chorus that Baekhyun realizes it’s Radiohead and he finds himself humming along too.

He stops halfway through the second verse, claiming his throat isn’t in the best condition when he’s been drinking and Baekhyun admits he’s a little saddened by this. _Just a little_.

“Are you impressed?” He grins, rows of straight white teeth gleaming.

Baekhyun is, and not just by the short impromptu performance. “No.”

Chanyeol clutches one hand to his heart as he lays the guitar behind him. “Ah, that hurts.” He whines, feigning injury. “Way to kill a man’s pride.”

“Were you trying to impress me?” The corner of his lip raises in amusement.

“Mmm, maybe. Apparently I’m a little rusty though. Maybe if I had on some tiny gold shorts while I sang, you’d find me irresistable or something I don’t know...”

Baekhyun laughs—full out laughs—small downturned eyes forming crescent moons as he raises his slender hands to hide his face. Little does he know, the action has rendered the other man breathless as he admires the beautiful giggling boy before him. Chanyeol clears his throat in attempt to shake his sudden daze, standing to grab their forgotten drinks.

“Should we head back down?” He asks as he hands Baekhyun his cup. “Wouldn’t want your friends to think I actually kidnapped you or anything.”

“ _Please_. Tao and Sehun looked a little too eager to escape on their own and god knows how many girls Jongdae has hit on at this point. They probably forgot I even exist to be honest.” He takes a sip of the mixture, savoring the taste of the cranberry on his tongue as the vodka goes down smooth. He hums in contentment. “This is good by the way.”

“Oh so I’ve succeeded in impressing you after all?”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, smiling as he takes another sip. “Come on Casanova, let’s go.”

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

The two make it back downstairs, heading straight for the hot tub where Tao and Sehun seem to still be enjoying themselves while having no sense of the term _personal space_. The youngest is sitting on the stone ledge with the blond standing across from him, crouching right between his legs as they converse like they’ve known each other all along. Baekhyun can’t say he’s surprised though, the younger has always had a knack for attaching onto people, himself included.

Chanyeol dips down into the steaming water first, before turning and gesturing for the shorter to hand over his drink. Baekhyun looks puzzled for a moment until the other says “so you don’t spill it while you get in,” and then he wants to smack the man because _why are you allowed to be handsome_ and _a gentleman?_ It’s really not fair. But Baekhyun does as he says and gives him the cup prior to hopping in. The water feels so good now that the air has cooled at this hour of night, and he fights to suppress a moan as he shuts his eyes and breathes it all in.

“This is exactly what I needed,” he utters, and when he finally allows his eyes to drift open, Chanyeol is standing a whole lot closer, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips and Baekhyun finds himself staring just a little too long at how nice those lips are.

But then he sees the man raise a brow before asking, “Your drink?” and that’s when he notices the large hand extended toward him. _Get ahold of yourself Byun Baekhyun._

“Oh, thank you,” he murmurs as he takes the cup, gulping down a mouthful of the fruity substance to distract himself from his sudden fascination with Chanyeol’s ~~everything~~ mouth.

“Woah slow down there, I made those pretty heavy on the Pinnacle and you’re small so…” he smirks before taking a sip of his own.

 _How dare you_. “Excuse you I’m not small, you’re just a giant.” He squints up at the man, bottom lip jutting out. “And I can handle my alcohol don’t you worry.”

Chanyeol chuckles at the boy’s attempt to look dignified, instead looking like a grumbling toddler who didn’t get his favorite toy. “Alright but remember that I don’t know where your room is so if I have to carry you back, guess where you’re going…”

“Is that your attempt at a pickup-line? Because if so, I’m disappointed. And also slightly afraid...”

“Why use a pickup-line when you’ve clearly already fallen for my charm?”

And the damned giant winks again.

Baekhyun wants to drown himself right then and there but he settles for scoffing, replying with a “Please don’t flatter yourself.”

“Well it looks like you two are hitting it off well.”

“Yeah I’m surprised Chanyeol-hyung hasn’t scared him off with those ears of his.”

The pair spin around to find Tao and Sehun wading to their side of the spa, playful looks on their faces as they take a seat behind them. Chanyeol sends the youngest a glare, clearly unamused by the remark. Sehun just snickers as he tries to hide his grin behind his hand.

“We aren’t interrupting are we? Because we can leave you two—”

“Shut it, Zitao. We were just discussing our plans for tomorrow.” Baekhyun hopes Chanyeol will pick up on the blatant topic change.

“Wait so you’re saying you wanna see me again, huh?”

He should have expected that, he really should have.

“No,” and the second he breathes the word, the taller deflates, looking like a kicked puppy. “—I was saying how I can’t wait to lay in bed all day and do absolutely nothing while I watch my soaps. Have you guys seen _The Girl Who Sees Smell_? Park Yoochun is such a babe. Seriously though what kinda murderer has time to carve barcodes in their victim’s wrists I mean honestly…”

“ _Hyung_. Please stop.”

“...but the loveline between Mugak and Chorim is so cute but I’m frustrated at times because—”

And then Baekhyun feels a splash of water right to the side of the face and he swears he’s gonna strangle the blond for nearly blinding him from the chlorine and almost ruining his drink. “Yah!” he yelps, rubbing at his eyelid rampantly. Meanwhile the other two are struggling to contain their laughter and doing a pretty awful job.

“Sorry hyung, but you were rambling and it was the quickest way to shut you up.”

“You’re such a brat,” the short boy pouts, wet bangs falling into his eyes. “And I was kidding anyway.”

“Were you though?” Tao cackles, and Baekhyun reminds himself to teach the younger some manners about respecting his elders. _The hard way_.

The four of them do end up chatting about their plans for the following day (Jongdae is still no where in sight which is a tad bit alarming) and decide to all meet back up at the pool after the morning wakeup call, before heading out to the beach again. Baekhyun notices that throughout their conversation, Chanyeol has inched closer and closer and he’s starting to feel a little overheated, and it’s not just because of the water temperature. Luckily after a while the music dies, signaling that it must be midnight, and the group collectively agrees it’s time to call it quits for the night. Everyone’s drinks are gone at this point anyway. With one last scan to the area for their missing roommate, Baekhyun gives up and joins the other three as they head inside to wait for the elevators.

The ride to the sixth floor is quite the experience, to say the least. A trio of clearly wasted females just had to rush on the lift at the last second, now fumbling to keep themselves upright while not-so-successfully whispering and ogling at the four men across from them. _Classy_ , Baekhyun wants to say. Tao steps closer to Sehun, wrapping a strong arm around his waist and leaning his head on the boy’s lean shoulder. No one knows if this is to spite the girls or the blond just being his clingy self, but it does the trick as the three look in the other direction. Thankfully they step off at the fourth floor and everyone lets out a heavy breath.

Two floors up and the shorter is ready to part ways, but then Tao is asking him to go ahead and walk Chanyeol back to his room because he and Sehun “need to talk about something really quick.” Baekhyun doesn’t even want to know what that means so again he finds himself beside the dark haired man on the way to room 614. They stop outside the door and the smaller is fumbling for what to say to not seem awkward because this suddenly feels like the ending to a first date and Baekhyun hates it because he doesn’t _do_ dating. This wasn’t a date, the guy is still virtually a complete stranger.

But suddenly Chanyeol is reaching over, hooking a finger under Baekhyun’s chin as he guides the boy’s gaze right into his own warm irises. The elder can feel the heat of the man’s rough hand against his skin and he wants to melt to the floor as he inhales at the tender touch.

 _It must be the vodka making me so weak,_ he tries to reason with himself. _This is why I stick with rum._

The taller gently lets go and Baekhyun frowns at the sudden loss of contact, releasing the breath he was holding. But then large fingers are carding through his still-damp bangs as the man continues to watch him with that look, the faintest smirk showcasing the dimple on his left cheek and Baekhyun feels like he’s about to have a stroke with the way his heart is beating out of his chest right now.

“Goodnight Baekhyun-ah,” he softly whispers. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He lets one last smile tug at his lips as he drops his hand down to reach for the room key in his pocket, and then he’s pushing his way inside the door leaving Baekhyun standing alone in the hallway completely breathless.

It takes a moment for him to calm his nerves, wondering what in the hell just happened, and not even a minute later he hears the muffled voices of his roommate and Sehun making their way down the hall. They look a little too cheery for after midnight as they quietly giggle to each other and Baekhyun has no desire to ask questions. He doesn’t ask why Tao’s hand hasn’t left the other man’s waist, he doesn’t ask why Sehun’s fingers are resting on top of it, and he definitely doesn’t ask why the blond is so easily leaning in to plant a kiss on the boy’s cheek like it wasn’t the first time of the night.

Instead he starts to walk back towards the elevators, hoping that Tao can peel himself away from the other guy long enough to catch the ride back up to the twelfth floor.

He makes it, just barely, and the silent trip up to their shared suite isn’t unpleasant; it allows Baekhyun to run through the last five minutes in his head one more time, allows him to ask himself whether or not he wants to see the taller man again, to feel his gentle touch again.

The two students arrive inside their suite, both a little winded as they head in opposite directions toward their rooms. However, Baekhyun stops short once he reaches the living area and as he glances in, low and behold passed out on one side of the couch is none other than Kim Jongdae. Granted he’s glad to see his friend made it back in one piece, but he’s a little confused as to why there’s another strange male curled up on the other side. Again, Baekhyun finds no desire to ask any questions for the remainder of the night and decides he’ll harass the shorter for answers in the morning. Instead he tiptoes over to the pile of clean blankets in the corner, careful to stay quiet (though he doesn’t see the two men waking anytime soon) as he drapes them across the lifeless bodies.

When he finally makes it into his room, Baekhyun cannot even bring himself to shower—he’s that exhausted. Not even the thrill of using the fancy shower head is enough to motivate him. He knows he’ll probably regret it come morning time, but right now as he strips his suit off and climbs beneath soft cotton sheets totally bare, nothing sounds better than drifting off into a comfortable slumber.

And as he lets his eyes roll back, the images of a handsome stranger flood his mind, invading his thoughts, invading his senses. The hesitant look in those dark brown eyes, the velvety croon to the strumming of his guitar, the acrid taste of cranberry staining his own tongue, the lingering touch of a calloused hand to Baekhyun’s smooth skin, all of which have his heart on overdrive.

 _Why am I so affected by this man?_ he wonders, not for the first time that night.

Baekhyun decides he wants to see him again.

But right now, all he wants is— _Sleep_.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

_Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba~_  
_(Sithi uhm ingonyama) Ingonyama_

“Ughhh…” Baekhyun grumbles, stirring in his bed. It’s still too early. 

_Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba~_

_Whoever’s alarm that is, I will destroy you,_ he silently threatens as he shoves his head beneath the pillow. 

_(Sithi uhhmm ingonyama) Ingonyama_

“You guys seriously...turn it off...” he groans aloud. “I’m still asleep.”

_(Siyo nqoba) Ingonyama (Ingonyama nengw' enamabala)_

The tribal music seems to die down after that and finally, he can lay in peace while he tries to catch another hour or so of much-needed rest before they’ll be doing _God knows what_ today. 

“Thank you,” he mumbles to no one.

_From the day we arrive on the planet_  
_And blinking, step into the sun_

“Are you fucking kidding me right now...”

_There's more to see than can ever be seen_  
_More to do than can ever be done_

He honestly wants to cry. “What did I do to deserve this…”

_There's far too much to take in here_  
_More to find than can ever be found_

Fed up and realizing it’s no use, Baekhyun launches the pillow on the ground beside him.

_But the sun rolling high_  
_Through the sapphire sky_  
_Keeps great and small on the endless round_

“I hate both of you!” he shouts at his door, ripping the sheet off himself before remembering he was naked and probably should throw on a pair of briefs at least.

_It's the Circle of Life_  
_And it moves us all_

“Who the fuck chooses the Lion King as their alarm anyway…” the short boy scoffs as he stumbles over to one of his suitcases. 

_Through despair and hope_  
_Through faith and love_

He digs out a pair and quickly pulls them on before swinging open the bedroom door, heading straight for his two roommates that obviously decided to piss him off for the second morning in a row.

_Till we find our place_  
_On the path unwinding_

Baekhyun stops short again at the living room when he sees Jongdae and the stranger from last night, both in zombie form sitting upright on the couch with their eyes still closed (and still shirtless). 

_In the Circle_  
_The Circle of Life_

“...did you like the morning wakeup call?” the brunet croaks, his voice sounding like he got run over by a bus and Baekhyun wonders what the hell he got into last night.

“What?”

“Go look outside the window idiot,” he gripes while rolling his knuckles along his temples in a measly attempt to soothe the splitting headache.

Baekhyun glances again at the guy on the other half of the couch who hasn’t moved. “Uh, okay?”

Slightly confused at everything going on, he pads backs into his room and heads toward the glass sliding door, pushing back the curtain and peeking outside. He doesn’t really see a whole lot since there’s only a few who share the same floor, so the boy decides to step out onto the balcony and it’s when he looks down that he sees it. Just about every vacationer at the resort is standing out on their balcony looking half asleep and disheveled like he is, or is at the pool already cooling down from the morning heat.

_This must be what they meant my “morning wakeup call.”_

Despite the fact that it’s still ass-early in the morning and he would rather be asleep right now, Baekhyun finds the site kind of endearing. A way to bring everyone together for just a quick moment before they’re all off doing their own thing. He suddenly wonders if Chanyeol and Sehun are out there too, so he leans down trying to locate the sixth floor until he remembers they’re supposed to meet after the wakeup call and decides he should probably get himself together first.

Today Baekhyun settles for a solid black pair of trunks because he really doesn’t need tall dark-haired strangers getting distracted by his swimwear, so he grabs the pair and heads to the bathroom to do his morning routine in a hurry.

When he makes it back to the kitchen, he’s relieved to see just his two roommates sitting at the bar looking somewhat ready to go as well. Jongdae still looks dead to the world, but at least he changed clothes.

“Morning,” Baekhyun says as he opens the refrigerator to pull out a cup of yogurt and a bottle of water.

“Well that’s a one-eighty from the greeting we got about half an hour ago, isn’t it Tao-yah?”

The blond nods, taking a bite of his orange. “I heard him yelling about something, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I assumed it was directed at us though.”

“Can you blame me? I mean with the way I got attacked in my sleep yesterday…” Baekhyun sits down beside the taller, giving his shoulder a little shove.

“Baek, did you honestly think one of us started blasting The Lion King at eight o’clock in the morning?”

“I wouldn’t put anything past either one of you, if we’re being honest.”

“Well you better get used to it, because that will be our alarm the entire week and we don’t need your tantrums every single morning.”

“Wow someone is grouchy today. Which reminds me, who the hell was that on our couch?” Baekhyun questions, mouth around a spoonful of vanilla. “I mean if I thought you swung that way I wouldn’t ask but…”

“Yeah hyung, did you have a change of heart last night?” Tao giggles.

“Both of you shut up. His name is Yixing and he’s one of the DJ’s here. Last night I started talking to him while asking if I could put in a song rec and he told me about a local bar we should totally hit up while we’re here. He ended up getting off while we were—”

The other two start snickering behind their hands, trying to pretend like nothing happened.

Jongdae rolls his eyes before continuing. “...he ended up getting off _WORK_ while we were still talking so he asked if I wanted to check the place out and we went. We drank a lot. He doesn’t live super close since he just works here so I told him to crash in our room. And there you have it.”

“Wow, I was kinda hoping you were gonna tell us you realized all along you like the D. I’m a little disappointed, Dae.”

“Look Baek, I don’t know how many times we have to go through this. I know I’m highly attractive and you wish you could get your girly little hands on this,” he signals to his chest. “—but unfortunately I’m unavailable for your type, no matter how feminine your fingers are...”

“I just about upheaved my breakfast, I hope you know.”

“I don’t know hyung, I think Baekhyun-hyung has his hands full with a certain someone else right now.” Baekhyun gives him a harder shove this time. “What? It’s not like he won’t find out here soon anyway...we’re about to go meet them aren’t we?”

“Meet who?” Jongdae cocks a brow.

“No one.”

“Sehun and _Chanyeol_.” Tao says the latter's name teasingly as he looks at the eldest, obnoxiously shaking his shoulders side-to-side and Baekhyun wants to smack him. So he does, right upside the head.

“Can you shut _up_.” he threatens before turning back to the brunet. “Anyway, do you remember those two guys from the beach yesterday who were passing the ball? Probably not because they have penises so you didn’t care, but we ended up befriending them last night and we’re meeting up with them at the pool as soon as we finish eating.”

Jongdae stares blankly at him. “You lost me at penises…”

“Oh my god, I’m done with you guys right now.” Baekhyun stands to throw his trash away, grabbing his water bottle and heading to fetch his beach tote from his room.

The other two laugh as they finish cleaning up the table, and finally they’re all walking out the door to start off the second day.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

When they reach the pool area, it’s really not hard to find the tall males as they sit beside each other on one of the lounge chairs like they’re waiting for the school bus to come. And from the looks of it, they’re still waking up.

Tao darts right to the younger of the two, calling out “Sehun-ah~” and the boy immediately looks up at him, looking more alive as well.

 _Who the hell gets excited to see that brat?_ Baekhyun wonders. But when the other male finally glances up and their eyes meet for the first time that morning, he forgets all about his bratty roommate. Instead he feels nervous all of a sudden, because how is he supposed to approach him after what happened last night?

Chanyeol stands, and once the group of them are huddled together he moves in front of the elder and softly mutters, “Good morning Baekhyun-ah.” Then he ruffles the boy’s smooth honeyed locks with this tiny little smirk and Baekhyun really wants to know if this is going to become a habit so he can prepare each time instead of flushing like he is right now.

“Good morning _giant_ ,” he teases, smiling back at the man.

“And you must be the guys with the penises.”

_Always count on Kim Jongdae to ruin the mood._

Baekhyun almost chokes as he whips around to punch the shorter in the arm, while Sehun and Chanyeol look at the brunet like he’s grown a second head. (No pun intended).

Once everyone is introduced _properly_ , Tao insists that they get going because he’s “dying it’s so hot” and no one disagrees.

They set off toward the beach, Sehun recruiting the blond to his team for volleyball and Baekhyun nominating Jongdae for Chanyeol’s team before he even gets the chance to ask. The older boy just wants to relax and read _The Book Thief_ while catching some rays without worrying about running around and getting all sweaty and worked up.

He also makes sure to threaten that if the ball comes anywhere near him and his towel, he will personally dropkick that person in the balls and then deflate the other one. Everyone mocks being afraid, but at the end of the day no one wants to test those waters.

And so the rest of the day is spent pretty much the same as the day before, except with Jongdae included this time. 

Baekhyun reads.

The boys play ball.

Sehun and Tao blatantly flirt, and Jongdae tells them to take it elsewhere because they’re, “in the middle of a serious match right now” and they need to get their “game faces on.” But two seconds later a young girl in a string bikini will walk by and he’ll tell them nevermind.

Chanyeol just laughs at him, then moseys over every once in a while to make sure the smaller is doing alright. One of the times he grabs the book right from the elder’s hand, deeming _himself_ as “The Book Thief” and Baekhyun would be annoyed that he just lost his page, but he finds himself laughing instead at how corny the man is. _And cute,_ but he won’t tell him that as he shoos him along.

Every half-hour, they all take a break to wallow in the ocean and cool themselves down before going right back to what they were doing.

And they just enjoy the nice day like this, with no worries.

When afternoon rolls around, the group decides to split-up and head back to their rooms so they can grab a bite to eat and take long naps. Because honestly, waking up at eight o’clock and being active was tiring and also because some people were just cranky without one (Read: Byun Baekhyun).

In the evening, they all eventually meet back up at the pool again with drinks in hand, and Jongdae saunters off to locate Yixing while he’s working the turntables.

Sehun and Tao are soon back at invading each other’s space, leaving Baekhyun and Chanyeol to just their shake their heads as they talk about any-and-everything.

They talk about school, and Baekhyun discovers that the taller goes to K-ARTS for music composition. He can’t really say he’s surprised given the fact the giant brings he guitar everywhere with him, but he _is_ sort of fascinated and so he asks the man to compose him a song on piano. Chanyeol finds himself nodding all too quickly, more than intrigued that Baekhyun is familiar with the instrument and so he makes the elder promise to play for him sometime.

They talk about work and how Baekhyun has been fortunate enough to make it through his four years at the university without having to ever get a job (he has his parents to thank for that), meanwhile Chanyeol has worked part-time, giving lessons at the university music center since the second semester of his first year. He doesn’t complain though.

The talk about their plans for the rest of the summer, the elder claiming he wants to travel somewhere exciting before burying himself in assignments for the final semester before graduating. Chanyeol asks him, “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?” And Baekhyun honestly doesn’t know, but he says New York would be nice.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Times Square just to take a seat anywhere on the street and start playing some songs, you know, be a carefree spirit and all that.”

“Wow, how inspiring….I just wanted to go for the shopping, honestly—and seeing a play on Broadway would be cool, even if I can’t understand what they’re saying.” The man chuckles, declaring that if the boy ever decides to go, he has to bring him along. 

And they carry on like this for hours, just getting a feel for each other and Baekhyun finds it oddly comforting that he and stranger can connect so seamlessly. He’s also a little saddened to hear that the man won’t be there the entire length of he and his roommates’ stay. “We leave Thursday,” Chanyeol sighs. “Four nights at this place cost us a fortune.” 

Baekhyun tries to hide his disappointment.

Before everyone calls it quits, Jongdae makes his way back with Yixing, and eventually they’re all in agreement to check out the bar the following night. The man is convincing, and _who were they to be the judge of what to do while in Jeju?_

When they finally wrap it up and head back up to their rooms for the night, Baekhyun decides on his own this time to walk Chanyeol to the door. He has to say he really enjoyed the other’s company this evening, and he wants to thank the giant for listening to him ramble for hours and maybe also for his ability to make Baekhyun smile with ease.

So as Chanyeol turns to tell him goodnight the same way he had the night before with that same gaze in his eyes that could drown anyone who saw it, Baekhyun chooses to grab the man’s hand before it could reach his face, instead tugging him down as he stands on his toes to lightly place soft lips against his cheek.

And when he moves to release his gentle hold on the man as his own cheeks start to inflame, the tiny squeeze the taller gives his hand in return, even just for a brief moment, says it was worth it.

“Goodnight Chanyeol-ah.”

 _And maybe he’s worth it_ , he muses, spinning on his heels to head for the twelfth floor.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

“Where the hell are they? It’s been like twenty minutes.” Baekhyun yells from his bathroom countertop as he scrambles to finish getting ready.

“Relax Baek, Tao will be here with your little boyfriend eventually. Don’t get your panties twisted...though you probably enjoy that sort of thing.”

“Stop calling him my boyfriend, I’ve known the guy for two days.” He fingers through his caramel hair for the third time, trying to get that messy-but-controlled look just right. “But speaking of boyfriends—” he pauses to spray the loose strands into place.

“Don’t even start with me.” Jongdae threatens from the kitchen, and Baekhyun chooses to let this one go since the said man is actually present.

Don’t get him wrong, Yixing is a really nice guy, as he found at lunch earlier. (Apparently he had the day off so he texted Jongdae—they actually exchanged numbers—saying that he heard this little seafood joint was good and asked if the three of them wanted to join so they could take a break from the scorching sun. Only Baekhyun joined the two though, while Tao was doing who knows with Sehun all day.) Again, really nice guy. Baekhyun just finds it mildly amusing that Jongdae has been forgoing the great female chase in order to spend his time with the other man. He also finds it bizarre that the guy can stand to be around Jongdae for more than ten minutes at a time; that’s a feat on its own. Nevertheless here they are, both somehow entertained by each other enough to be going on their second outing of the day together.

As Baekhyun is now in pursuit of his bottle of cologne, he hears the front door open and seconds later comes the same “holy shit” reaction that he and his roommates had to the suite. He smiles to himself as he hears that low baritone that belongs to a certain someone that he _just might_ admit being excited to see. After the wakeup call this morning before Tao headed down to their room, Baekhyun had asked him to tell the giant about their plans today and that he’d see him later. The smaller kind of hopes that the man is even just a little excited to see him too.

 _When did I become this kind of guy?_ He really wants to know.

Finally locating the missing bottle, Baekhyun spritzs the Diptych on his neck, in the hollow between his collarbones, and across his left wrist. He has to make sure he at least smells good in this heat. Then he wraps the lanyard with his roomkey around his neck and steps out into the kitchen to find the giant.

He approaches Chanyeol from behind while he’s standing against the back of the couch marveling at the expanse of the living area. Even from this view, Baekhyun can tell the man looks good as he lets his eyes linger on the bare arms and trim waist that somehow seem more appealing in that black fitted tank. Below it is a pair of gray acid-wash denim shorts that highlight how long the taller’s legs are, and Baekhyun can’t help himself as he hooks a finger and tugs on a belt loop so he can see the frontside too.

The man feels the pull at his waist and turns around, and the elder forgets where is he for a moment. “Hey,” he manages to breathe out.

“Wow.”

And then both of them are completely entranced with one another, taking in the change of appearance from beachbum to going-out-gear and Baekhyun cannot fathom how it’s possible for this guy to look any more attractive yet he somehow manages it. His raven hair is styled back in a perfect coif and his shirt is stretching tight across his chest which make his broad shoulders more prominent and the smaller just wants to run his fingers down the man to see how his body reacts to the sensation. _Get yourself under control_.

Chanyeol on the other hand, is having his own internal battle as he remains stunned by the sheer beauty of the boy before him. His small frame is wrapped in tight black denim and a white loose-neck tee enhancing all the best parts of his body. And despite the fact he’s seen the boy in less, there’s just something different about tonight, something different about the way those kohl rimmed eyes are looking back at him. But Chanyeol is having the most difficult time pulling his gaze from how pink and glossy the boy’s small mouth is and he wonders if it tastes as sweet as it looks. He then tells himself he needs to get it under control.

“I hate to interrupt, but are you two ready or should we leave you here to stare at each other all night?”

_Once again, always count on Kim Jongdae to ruin the mood._

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

The bar itself is only a few blocks from the resort so the gang decide to rough it and walk instead of waiting eons for a cab (which is unfortunately the case when most of the nightlife activity is going on.) Jongdae recounts walking there the first night, but says getting home was another story. Yixing laughs, sharing with everyone how he had to shoulder the younger most of the way back and how Jongdae is a whiny drunk. His two roommates agree.

When they get to the place, “Teepee Hut,” the wait luckily isn’t too bad since it’s a smaller lesser-known pub compared to most of the bars on the northern part of the island. It’s comfortable and more importantly the beer is cheap, so everyone grabs a plastic cup full and head out to the huge patio that overlooks the water. Beside the patio is an actual _teepee_ , but no one actually knows why it’s there and as the night goes on, the guesses grow more and more comical. 

As the beers keep coming, the group is slowly starting to disperse into pairs again—Jongdae and Yixing are inside conversing with the bartender who looks to be around the same age, Sehun and Tao are sitting in a corner swapping spit which no one finds surprising nor do they want to see, and Chanyeol is left trying to handle a tipsy little hellion who insists he’s _totally sober_ as he tries to sing Hakuna Matata to the teepee.

“Baekhyun, come here,” the taller man chuckles as he watches the boy lean against the railing, chanting the words in a crude rendition of the song. The smaller pays him no mind though, and Chanyeol can’t help but to notice how nice the view from his seat is—snug jeans filled out perfectly before curving into a waistline that the younger man suddenly has the desire to hold. He takes a swig before tossing the plastic into the bin beside the table, and stalks his way over to the boy. He quietly slides behind Baekhyun, whispering right into his ear, “Hey.” 

The shorter gasps, stiffening at the gentle press of the man’s firm body behind him and suddenly he feels his senses going a little erratic. The four beers he had prior aren’t helping matters. He raises the cup in his hand to his lips as a distraction but then finds the taller’s arms reaching around him, caging him in and suddenly he can’t _breathe_. 

“Let me just have this,” he mutters so deep, as he pulls the plastic from the elder’s fingers. 

Chanyeol backs off, finishing the remnants and pitching the empty cup, and Baekhyun thinks his mild heart attack is over. But then he feels a strong grip to his hand, pulling him away from the railing and back inside the pub. They pass the bar where Jongdae seems to be taking a shot and Chanyeol stops briefly to shout, “Hey I’m taking him home,” over the noise. Once they make it outside, the grip on his hand lets up, but then it moves to his waist as the dark haired man snakes an arm around the boy and tugs him close. Baekhyun blinks up at him, eyes just a wee bit hazy as they hone in to the small mole resting on the bridge of the man’s nose. _Cute_ he thinks and before he can stop himself, he’s raising a finger to touch it. 

Chanyeol catches the action out of the corner of his eye and turns to bite at the approaching digit. The short boy jerks his hand away, giggling and still so _so_ beautiful and it takes every ounce of self control for the younger to not lean over and kiss him senseless. Instead, he ensures that his hold on the elder is strong as they set off back to the resort. 

 

☼☀☼☀☼

 

The commute back seems to only take half the time, but then again Baekhyun has a tiny beer jacket at the moment. He isn’t drunk, he just feels lighter and hyper-aware of his senses, one being the large hand that is clutched around his side right now. It’s right where his bruise is and it stings a little, but he doesn’t want the man to let go so he focuses instead on how good it feels to be held so close. And when they make it inside the elevator on their way up to the room, he dares to be closer as he leans his head against the taller’s hardened chest. Baekhyun inhales, and he can still smell the other’s cologne and it’s intoxicating, more so than anything he’s had to drink tonight. 

Chanyeol looks down at the boy in his arms and he lets his lips graze against the strands of his soft tawny hair. He breathes in the scent of warm vanilla & sugar and he has to remind himself for the third time tonight to keep it under control.

And when he’s following the smaller into the suite toward his bedroom, he has to remind himself again while he shuts the door.

Then the man is standing there motionless, dark eyes searching for any kind of signal as he steps forward, both hands finding their way to the smaller boy’s hips.

Baekhyun is nervous, and those senses are getting the best of him as he feels his heart about to burst from his chest. He peeks up through long lashes, unsure of where this is going, and he finds his attention completely seized by the man’s full lips, and not for the first time. 

Chanyeol releases a hand from around his waist, reaching up and gently cupping his cheek. It’s warm, and Baekhyun finds the feeling all too familiar as the taller tilts his chin up to guide those heavy eyes into his own. 

But this time, he doesn’t let go. 

Chanyeol gently leans down, stopping just a hair’s breadth away from the smaller’s pretty mouth to let the boy catch his breath, and then he’s stealing it away again as he presses their lips together for the first time with a sense of urgency.

Baekhyun whimpers, already feeling weak to the man’s touch as their mouths slide against one another in need, over and over again.

Chanyeol can still taste the faint strawberry gloss lingering on the elder’s pink lips as he drags his tongue along his cupid’s bow and he decides it’s _definitely_ sweeter than it looks. His large hand glides from the boy’s cheek into his hair, threading his fingers through the locks and giving a little pull.

The elder releases a moan, unable to withstand the sensation along his scalp and Chanyeol uses the opportunity to lick into his mouth. 

Baekhyun presses back forcefully, suckling on the wet tongue and ignoring the residual flavor of cheap beer to relish in the thought of where else he could imagine the tongue on his body. He starts running his slender fingers along the other’s rigid biceps, nails lightly scraping the skin and making Chanyeol finally lose all control.

The giant grunts, reaching down with both hands to yank at the hem of the fabric that was separating him from the heat of the boy’s soft stomach, removing the offending shirt and tossing it to the floor.

He grips the smaller’s bare waist harshly pulling his body flush to his own as he walks them back toward the bed reattaching their mouths again, and Baekhyun hisses at the sting of the calloused hand pressing his bruised skin.

Chanyeol lays him against the mattress, settling himself on top and leaning against his arms before diving right back in to tongue at the boy’s now-exposed collarbones, taking time with each one as he sucks them into his mouth and laps at the hollow in between. 

Baekhyun keens, lacing his thin fingers through Chanyeol’s soft raven hair as he feels him tongue across the expanse of his bare chest, squirming at the light tickling of the man’s nose against his skin.

Chanyeol reaches one of Baekhyun’s nipples and sends a tentative lick to the bud before drawing it entirely into his mouth. He lightly nibbles as he continues to suck it between his teeth, moving to thumb circles at the other. 

Baekhyun whines at the oversensitivity as he claws at the bedspread with his freehand. He’s already half hard and the lack of friction to his groin is starting to hurt. 

Chanyeol inches his way down the boy’s soft belly, leaving a trail of fluttering kisses as he gently presses his lips to the smooth skin. He begins nosing at the waistline of Baekhyun’s jeans when he notices the slight flinch and he looks up, worried he may have done something wrong or worse, the boy is regretting this.

“Are you okay? We can stop if you need to.” 

He sounds genuinely concerned and Baekhyun can’t help but feel his heart lurch at the man.  
Releasing the hand in Chanyeol’s hair, he carefully circles his fingers around the lightly darkened skin on his hip, wincing a little when he presses too hard.

It finally hits Chanyeol. The smaller is still hurting from the ball incident from the first day, and he immediately feels a little guilty. Grabbing the wrist of the dainty hand still fingering at the bruise, he softly kisses the palm before setting it aside and moving in to give the spot some attention of his own. 

Chanyeol decides to unbutton the boy’s pants, pulling them down a little so he has a better view of the small injury and with the delicacy of a rose petal, he runs the tips of fingers across the sensitive skin.

Baekhyun pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, fighting to contain the sob ready to pour out of his mouth at the younger’s touch. But then he feels Chanyeol’s breath fanning against his waist before his hot tongue starts dabbing at the bruise and he wails, his fingers finding their way back in the man’s hair as he cants his hips up. 

The pleasure of the man’s wet tongue against his skin and the stinging of the wound mixing together is becoming too much for his senses to handle, if the straining of his briefs isn’t enough of an indication. 

“Chanyeol… _please_.”

The taller hears the desperation in the boy’s plea, the sound shooting straight to his groin and he groans, quickly moving his hands to peel down the last bit of fabric.  
The tip of Baekhyun’s cock is already leaking as it curves upward against his stomach and Chanyeol has to catch his breath before leaning in and licking a fat stripe right up the length of it. When the boy moans and he feels the tightening of his fingers against his hair, Chanyeol takes that as a sign to continue as he wraps his lips around the head, running his tongue along the slit and sucking as hard as he can.

Baekhyun releases a strangled cry, thrusting upward toward the warm mouth as Chanyeol begins to slide more of his aching member between his lips. Chanyeol hums as he bobs his head and the vibration is almost enough to make him release, but he holds on while he can. 

Chanyeol takes him in slow and sleady at first, teasingly, and Baekhyun mewls as his body begins to sweat, bangs clinging to his forehead and everything feels so hot. But it’s not enough, and he finds himself pushing against the man’s head, demanding more. 

The taller moans around his length as he lets in slide in deeper, almost reaching the back of his throat as his nose meets faint black hairs. Baekhyun thrashes against the sheets.

Chanyeol gives one hard suck, large hands moving to thumb gentle circles on the smaller’s hips—careful not to press too hard against the small bruise—and Baekhyun can’t hold on anymore as he releases into the man’s mouth, whimpering as Chanyeol swallows it down and continues to suck.

It’s been too long since he’s been touched like this and Chanyeol is treating him like he’s something precious and he doesn’t know how to feel. Suddenly, he feels tears streaming from the corner of his eyes and he realizes he’s actually crying. He tries to hide it in fear of embarrassment but he accidentally lets out a sob and then Chanyeol is peering up at him, looking worried all over again. 

Chanyeol sees the wetness of the smaller’s eyes and he gets that sinking feeling again so he pulls off, wiping at his mouth and forgetting his own needs for the time being. He crawls back up and stops just above the boy’s face, reaching his hands up to cup his cheeks and starts to wipe the tears away.

“Did I hurt you?” 

Baekhyun shakes his head, face flushed from his orgasm and now from the embarrassment of Chanyeol seeing him cry.

“Baekhyun…” Chanyeol leans in and presses his lips to his forehead, letting the touch linger before pulling back and staring into the boy’s shining eyes. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

It takes a minute for Baekhyun to collect himself, but he finally breathes, “I’m sorry I’m just overwhelmed. I don’t…usually do this and you’re making me feel things and you’re leaving tomorrow and I’m just—“ He stops when he feels the man’s lips against his own and the kiss is soft, sweet and he wants Chanyeol to keep kissing him until he’s breathless and can’t embarrass himself anymore.

Chanyeol pulls back, and he has this tiny grin pulling against his lips and that dimple in his cheek again and Baekhyun is awed at how beautiful he is as they continue to gaze at each other. He’s confused when Chanyeol climbs off of him completely and watches as he tugs his shirt off, throwing it with the rest of the clothing piled on the floor. But then the man crawls back up the bed again, and settles himself beside him before pulling Baekhyun against his bare chest and wrapping his arms around him.

Baekhyun feels his heart beating all too fast again as he lays in the man’s warm embrace. He doesn’t remember giving it permission to feel this way for someone, but it seems he has no control over the matter this time. 

He closes his eyes and lets the rhythm of its beating and the heat of Chanyeol’s skin lull him to in a slumber. 

_Sleep_.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

Baekhyun wakes up way too early the next morning to wet lips mouthing along the space between his shoulders and a firm grip around his torso as he feels the warmth of Chanyeol’s chest pressed against his back. He carefully turns his head, eyelids refusing to open as he basks in the sensation, before parting his small mouth and connecting it with the giant’s in a gentle caress. 

“Mmm..” he hums at the stroke of the man’s tongue, and he has no intentions of moving anytime soon.

They lay for hours, wrapped in each other’s arms—even through the blaring sound of The Circle of Life—and Baekhyun knows he has to part with Chanyeol today, but he’s not quite ready.

He can’t explain how in such a short time the guy has managed to creep his way into a place that has been ignored for years, and it sounds awfully cheesy when he thinks about it, but he wants to see where this takes him, where it takes _them_.

Later that morning when everyone has finally decided to crawl out of their rooms and show themselves after the previous night (Sehun had ended up in Tao and Jongdae’s room so once again, the brunet and Yixing had to pass out on the couch), they’re all faced with the dread of saying goodbye as they gather around the bar table with bottles of water and aspirin.

Chanyeol and Sehun have to pack all their belongings and try to catch their flight back to Seoul by noon. 

It’s eleven.  
Baekhyun offers to help, but Chanyeol just chuckles as he pulls him into arms and places a quick kiss to his cheek.

“As much as I appreciate the offer, you’ll just distract me and we’re sort of on a time crunch here. But don’t worry, you can text or call me as much as you want since I know you’re gonna miss me.” And then he gives that damned wink again.

Baekhyun pouts, and he doesn’t seem to be the only one as he look overs at Tao with a similar expression on his face as Sehun stands across from him.

“God I feel like I’m caught in the middle of a bad romance movie. How do I turn this shit off…”

_Jongdae. Always count on Jongdae._

With promises that they’ll see each other shortly once Baekhyun gets back from his trip, Chanyeol pulls him into a tender kiss, his lips saying that he means it, that everything will work out, and that Baekhyun shouldn’t worry so much. Then he and Sehun and are waving goodbye as they head back to their own room.

Baekhyun goes back to his room to bury himself in bed and watch his soaps for the entire day. No one tries to bother him.

He falls asleep wishing he had the taste of cranberry on his tongue.

 

☼☀☼☀☼

The following day is like any other. Baekhyun wakes up to obnoxious tribal music, rubbing his eyes and fumbling into the kitchen where Tao has his forehead pressed into the marble countertop. The weather outside is perfect—probably the best thus far—with the sun shining brightly along the horizon and a light ocean breeze blowing in through the window. It’s beautiful, and they’ve still got time to go out and enjoy everything the island has to offer before returning to somewhat monotonous lives, but Baekhyun has little to no motivation to actually go out and enjoy it. 

It’s only been hours, but he already feels like there’s nothing worth doing if Chanyeol’s not here. _Way to not be that kind of guy._

Nonetheless, Jongdae still forces them out onto the beach, goading them with the promise that they’ll miss it when they get back to the city. Baekhyun knows he’s right, so he tries to relax and enjoy himself while he soaks up some sun.

“This is so depressing,” Tao grumbles from his perch beside him. Baekhyun just sighs in agreement. 

“You two are the saddest bunch of saps I’ve ever seen,” Jongdae chides, running back up to the beach from the waves, Yixing in tow. “We came here to have fun. I’m sure we can do that without your little boy toys.” 

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow, biting his tongue to refrain from commenting since Jongdae himself has seemed to get attached to his own little “boy toy” from the first day onwards. 

Jongdae’s nagging is cut off by Tao’s phone. The youngest boy squeals as he digs his phone out of his bag. “It’s Sehun!” 

Jongdae rolls his eyes, but Baekhyun feels a little betrayed, even more so when he checks his own phone to find zero messages waiting for him. 

What the hell, Chanyeol. 

He doesn’t want to seem clingy or anything, so he holds himself back from texting the taller boy exactly that. Instead, he peers over Tao’s shoulder as he replies to Sehun; his thumbs are flying but it’s all the same thing: _i miss you *heart heart* i’m so lonely *sad emoji* xoxo *heart heart heart*_

“Alright,” Jongdae throws his hands up, like he’s seen all he can take. “Get your lovesick asses up. We’re going somewhere.” 

Baekhyun pouts. He’d be entirely content with lying like a lump on the beach all day, but then he thinks of harsh sunburn marring his fair skin. “Where are we going?” He asks warily.  
Jongdae and Yixing share a look. Both the boys in the sand gulp, equal parts afraid and uncomfortable. 

The oldest Chinese boy smirks. “You’ll see,” Yixing says cryptically. “You’ll see.” 

☼☀☼☀☼

“What.” Tao stutters out, a faint blush already painting his cheeks. “The fuck.”

Baekhyun stumbles off the bus behind him, the hour plus ride from the hotel making both his legs and backside a little numb. His reaction is much the same as Tao’s, though a little less subdued.

“Love Land?!” He screeches, only faintly aware of Jongdae snickering behind him. He’s too preoccupied by the countless sexual statues spread out in front of him under the guise of a beautiful, well cared for garden. Love Land is something almost everyone knows about; apparently one of the top tourist destinations on the entire island. Still, Baekhyun had no plans to actually _go_. He’s no prude, but he feels his cheeks heat up at some of the anatomically correct (not to mention _large_ ) sculptures across the park. 

“Yep,” Jongdae throws his arm around Baekhyun’s neck, making the latter wince. “The one and the only. What’s the matter, Baek? Last I heard big dicks were your th—”

Baekhyun shoves Jongdae away with every ounce of strength he can muster. He just laughs and drags Yixing a couple of meters away, instructing the older to take a picture of him sitting on a bench shaped like—what else—a giant penis.

“Can you believe this?” Baekhyun shakes his head, looking over to Tao for confirmation, only to see the blond boy texting a mile a minute with a big stupid smile on his face. No doubt he’s told Sehun where they’ve ended up and the reply must be something dirty or cheeky or both because Tao bites his lip before replying again. Just to be sure, Baekhyun checks his phone once more. 

Nothing. 

Baekhyun bites his lip. Maybe Chanyeol’s busy. Or tired. There’s no way he could blow him off completely, even if the time they spent together was short. 

He tries to forget about, and despite himself, Baekhyun finds he quite enjoys the ostentatious place. He takes several risqué pictures alongside the statues, and even posts a couple to his various social media (silently, he apologizes to his mom). Tao is attached to his phone and Jongdae is attached to Yixing (Baekhyun also has a feelings that the dicks throughout the park aren’t the only ones Jongdae has, _ahem_ , been up close and personal with this vacation). 

The stumble into the tiny gift shop after the tour and laugh at all the inappropriate souvenirs. Baekhyun is absolutely charmed by the keychains in the shape of what he can only describe as a cute little penis. He picks it up right away. 

“That for Chanyeol?” Jongdae asks with a gross, saucy wink. Baekhyun sneers at him, even though he’s right. Despite being a little bummed out, he still wants to buy something for the boy. It’s a dick. Because Chanyeol’s a dick for not texting him. Baekhyun snorts to himself. 

By the time they leave the park, it’s late afternoon and they all agree to head back towards the hotel to get something to eat and probably hit up another bar. Preparing himself for the long ride back, Baekhyun tugs the bag holding the little keychain in his pocket and pulls out his phone in its stead. To his surprise, there’s a little envelope with a red bubble hovering over it, notifying two new messages. 

Baekhyun’s heart gets caught up in his throat despite himself. He’s been waiting for this all day and now he’s stupidly nervous. With shaking fingers, he opens the message. He bites his lip squealing, much like Tao had been doing for the duration of the day. 

The first message is a picture. Baekhyun’s breath catches as he takes in a bare chest and shoulders and messy tufts of hair. Chanyeol’s face is adorably puffy, like he just woke up from the nap of a lifetime. The room is sort of dark, despite the message being sent around 3 PM, so Baekhyun figures that’s probably the case. He commits the small smile to memory before reading the message under it, sent only a minute after. 

“ _See you when you get home Baekhyun-ah :)_ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave your review on LiveJournal. ♥


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